Drill dispensing container



y 16, 1967 R. E. RUSSELL 3,319,780

DRILL DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed May 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

y 16, 1967 R. E. RUSSELL DRILL DISPENSING CONTAINER 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1965 .m WWW/M m m f United States Patent 3,319,780 DRILL DISPENSING (ZUNTAINER Richard E. Russell, 162 Dalton Ave, Pittsiield, Mass. 01201 Filed May 14, 1965, Ser. No. 455,898 9 Claims. (U. 206-17) This invention relates to dispensing containers, and more particularly to a dispensing drill container for dispensing drills according to their size, as required.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved drill dispensing container which is relatively simple in construction, which is easy to manipulate, and wh ch is relatively compact in size so that it can be easily carried in a tool box or other tool receptacle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved indexing dispensing drill container which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, and which is provided with means for readily removing drills therefrom in the event the drills become jammed or fail to fall out of the container by gravity.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken axially through an improved dispensing drill container constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view taken substantially on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the drill gauging disc employed with the dispensing container of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, partly broken away, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, partly broken away, taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 77 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially at the bottom plane of the top cover disc of the container of FIGURE 1, looking upwardly, with the cover disc rotated from the position thereof shown in FIGURES 1 and 4.

Referring to the drawings, I1 generally designates an improved drill holder constructed in accordance with the present invention. The drill holder 11 comprises a generally cylindrical main body comprising a cylindrical shell 12 preferably of transparent plastic material, or the like, secured on the peripheral edges of respective circular top and bottom disc elements 13 and 14 and engaged by the peripheral edges of a plurality of spaced intermediate circular disc members 15. A supporting shaft 17 extends centrally through the disc members and suitable annular spacing blocks are provided between the disc members, the central spacing block, shown at 82, being provided with an outwardly-projecting lip or flange 82 for .a purpose presently to be described. The spacer blocks above the intermediate block 82, designated at 16, are of substantially greater thickness than the spacer blocks below the intermediate block 82, the lower spacer blocks being designated at 16'. The circular disc members and the spacer blocks are rotatable relative to the central supporting shaft 17.

Respective top and bottom cover discs 79 and 80 are provided, the top disc 79 being disposed on the top surface 3,319,780 Patented May 16, 1967 of the upper disc member 13, and the bottom cover disc 80 being disposed adjacent the bottom surface of the lower disc member 14, the disc members being secured together rigidly by a plurality of longitudina1ly-extending fastening rods 20 which also extend through the flange 82, the fastening rods 29 being secured in the disc elements to provide a unitary rigid resultant structure.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the top and bottom cover members 79 and 80 are larger in diameter than the disc members 13, 14 and 15 by twice the thickness of the shell member 12 so as to overlap the top and bottom edges of the shell member and thus hold said shell member 12 securely between them in peripheral contact with the intervening disc members 13, 15 and 14.

Designated at 73 is a length of relatively stiff resilient rod or wire material of relatively small diameter which extends through apertures 76 provided in the respective pairs of disc members 15, 15 located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the central block member 82 and through radial slots 77 and 78 provided in the upper and lower remaining disc members, the rod-like member 73 having respective top and bottom pointer portions 71 and 72 yieldably engaging in serrations 99 and 99' provided in the peripheral edges of the top and bottom circular cover members 28 and 29, shown respectively in FIGURES 4, 7 and 9. It will thus be seen that the rod or wire 73 assumes a bowed configuration and that the pointer portions 71 and 72 thereof act as yieldable locking springs, cooperating with the serrations 99 and 99' to yieldably hold the respective top and bottom circular cover members 28 and 29 against rotation. As shown in FIGURE 1, a flanged retaining nut 3G is threaded on the top end of the shaft 17, the reduced shank portion of the not engaging through a central aperture provided in the top cover disc 28. Another flanged retaining nut 31 is threaded on the bottom end of the shaft 17 with the reduced shank portion thereof engaging through a central aperture provided in the bottom cover disc 29. The flange of bottom nut 31 has an under-cut reduced portion 31' which is received in the central aperture of an annular shallow cup-like washer 100 which serves as a more stable base for the device, the bottom annular lip of the flange retaining the washer against the bottom surface of disc 29 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1. The top fastening nut 30 likewise is provided at its flange with an under-cut reduced portion 30' for a purpose presently to be described.

The respective disc members 79, 13, 14 and 15 and 80 are provided with registering apertures through which are received a length of rod-like or wire material 74 which is loosely supported in the apertures 75 and which is employed, in a manner presently to be described, for extricating or dislodging drills which may have become jammed, or otherwise fail to slide out through the discharge opening of the device. The rigidly-connected disc members 79, 13, 15, 14 and are formed with aligned drill-supporting openings 27, the openings being arranged on the respective discs in three concentric circles and being graduated in size to receive the correspondingly different sized drills, for example, being progressively graduated in size to receive a particular group of numbered rdills. For example, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, the three concentrically-arranged groups of openings comprise an inner group dimensioned to receive drills numbered from 61 to 80 (American Wire Gauge) A.W.G. The intermediate group of openings may be dimensioned to receive drills numbered from 1 to 20 in the American Wire Gauge series, and the other circularly-arranged group of openings may be dimensioned to receive drills numbered 21 to 60 in the aforesaid American Wire Gauge series. The circularly-arranged concentric groups of holes are preferably arranged so that they are angularlystaggered, although the angular spacings between the 3 openings in a particular circular series may be uniform. The radial distances of the outside of the holes in the outer circular groups of openings are the same, the radial distances of the inside of the holes in the intermediate circular groups are the same, and the radial distances of the centers of the innermost circular groups are the same.

As above-mentioned, the flange nuts 30 and 31 retain the respective cover discs 28 and 29 adjacent to the top and bottom ends of the container in contact with the discs 79 and 80, although the cover discs are freely rotatable on said nut members.

The top cover disc 28 is formed with an aperture 32 at the same radius from the axis of the shaft member 17 as the outer circular group of openings 27 in the disc members and of a diameter slightly greater than the largest diameter in the outer circular series, namely, the diameter corresponding to the No. 21 drill. The top surface of the cover disc 28 is likewise provided with an index scale comprising stamped-out, substantially semicircular recesses 33 at the edge of the cover disc 28 corresponding to the diameters of the drill numbers 21 to 60 associated with the outer circular group of drillsupporting openings 27. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 4, the diameters of the uniformly-spaced stamped-out semicircular recesses 33 correspond to diameters of the series of drills numbered from 21 to 60, progressing in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 4. The top surface of the cover member 28 is preferably also inscribed with the corresponding drill numbers, from 21 to 60, placed adjacent the semicircular outwardly-facing recesses 33.

The scale comprising the successive recesses 33 is arranged so that when the disc 28 is rotated to place a scale mark thereof corresponding to a given drill number adjacent the pointer element 71, the opening 32 will be aligned with the corresponding drill in the container, and the drill may be removed by inverting the container and allowing the same to gravitate outwardly through the opening 32.

The bottom disc 29 is formed with a knock-out aperture 34 which may be utilized in conjunction with the push rod wire 74 to dislodge a drill which becomes jammed or which otherwise fails to slide out through the discharge opening 32. The push rod is released for use by lining up opening 32 with its retaining holes, inverting the drill container, and allowing the push rod to fall out. When using the push rod 74, the bottom disc 29 is rotated until the knock-out opening 34 is aligned with the drill to be dispensed, after which the wire is inserted through the opening 34 and pushed against the end of the drill to urge same toward the aperture 32.

The bottom cover disc 28 is likewise provided with a pair of dispensing openings 36 and 37 at the same radial distances respectively as the intermediate circular series of drill-supporting openings and the inner circular series of drill-supporting openings in the support discs 79, 13, 15, 14 and 80. The opening 36 is slightly larger in diameter than the largest drill in the numbered group 1 to 20, namely, larger in diameter than the No. 1 drill. Similarly, the aperture 37 has a diameter slightly larger than the largest drill in the numbered group 61 to 80, namely, larger than the diameter of the No. 61 drill. The bottom cover disc 29 is provided with a pair of concentric circular scales comprising the peripheral stampedout recesses 38 of successively decreasing diameters counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 5, and having diameters corresponding to the successively decreasing diameters of the drills numbered from 1 to 20, the recesses *being replaced at regular intervals by numbers corresponding to the drill sizes, as shown in FIGURE 5, wherein the numbers 1, 5, and replace semicircular recesses. Another series of index marks 39, staggered with respect to the recesses 38 and the associated numerical indicia, comprise a second scale, associated with the drills in the series numbered from 61 to 80, and the bottom cover disc 29 is correspondingly inscribed with spaced indicia associated with the uniformly-spaced index marks 39.

The pair of concentric scales, defined by the recesses 38 and the index markings 39 are arranged so that the apertures 36 or 37 may be positioned opposite a desired drill by rotating the cover disc 29 to bring the recess 38 or marking 39 corresponding to the desired drill immediately adjacent to the pointer element 72.

The top cover disc 28 is provided with a knock-out opening 40 substantially at the same radial distance as the intermediate circularly-arranged series of drill-supporting openings, being registrable therewith so as to allow the push rod element 74 to be used to force drills of the intermediate circular group outwardly through the dispensing opening 36 when the desired drill of said intermediate circular group becomes jammed or otherwise fails to gravitate freely through the opening 36 when the opening is aligned with the desired drill.

As abovementioned, the serrations 99 and 99' cooperate with the pointer elements 71 and 72 to yieldably hold the cover discs 28 and 29 in adjusted positions. The serrations 99 and 99 are so arranged that in certain of said adjusted positions the discharge apertures 32, 36 and 37 will be in dispensing position, whereas in successive rotated positions of the disc members, the discharge apertures will be out of registry with the drills so that the drills will not fall out of the container.

The detent serrations 99 and 99 are angularly-staggered to match the angularly-staggered positions of the drills which they serve. There are twice as many detent serrations as there are drills in each group they serve to locate, namely, for a total of forty drills there are eighty detent serrations, forty serrations to locate the respective drills for dispensing same, and forty additional serrations for preventing discharge of the drills.

In using the device, when it is desired to extract a drill, the cover disc 28 or 29 containing the discharge aperture for the group containing the desired drill is rotated to bring the corresponding scale indicia opposite the pointer elements 71 and 72. This aligns the discharge aperture of the cover disc with the selected drill, whereby the drill may be removed from the holder by allowing same to drop through the aperture. 1f the drill becomes stuck or jammed, the push rod element 74 may be employed in conjunction with the corresponding knock-out hole to dislodge the jammed drill. No push rod aperture is provided for the innermost group of drills, namely, the group numbered 61 to 80, since there is suflicient space in the areas apertured for these drills to make the apertures sufliciently large so that the drills would never become stuck or jammed.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the lip or flange 82 overlaps the apertures for the innermost series of drills, namely, the smallest drills, which are relatively short in length, thereby preventing said innermost series of drills from sliding to the opposite end of the container when the container is inverted. This insures that the small innermost series of drills will be seen through the transparent shell or cover 12 when the container is inverted. Furthermore, since the innermost series of drills are of relatively short length, it is necessary to provide smaller spacing between the disc members 15 in the lower portion of the container than in the upper portion, for which reason the lower spacer blocks 16 are of relatively small thickness, as compared with the upper spacer blocks 16. In view of the relative shortness of the small drills in the 61 to numbered series, the apertured lower discs 15 must be relatively close together in order to provide proper guiding action for these short drills.

Designated at 83 is a detachable drill gauge which is in the form of a circular disc of relatively thin sheet metal, or other suitable relatively rigid material, the gauge disc 83 being provided with a central aperture 84 which is just large enough to slip over the flange of the nut 30, the disc being sufliciently thin to be received beneath the lip defined by the under-cut recess 30', as shown in FIGURE 1. Thus, the gauge disc may be slipped over the flange of nut 30, engaging against the pointer element 71 and slipping downwardly until it can be received in the under-cut recess 30, after which it will be held retained in this position by the spring force acting on its edge and exerted by the pointer element 71. It can be readily removed by forcing it to a centered position against the tension of the pointer element 71, and lifting it upwardly past the flange of nut 30.

The gauge disc 83 has an outer series of apertures 8-5 arranged consecutively and being graduated in size to correspond to the size of drills numbered 21 to 60 in the A.W.G., series, proceeding counterclockwise in FIG- URE 2.

Disc 83 has another circular series of apertures 86 spaced inwardly from and concentric with the apertures 85 and graduated in size to correspond with the sizes of drills numbered 1 to 20 in the A.W.G., series, proceeding clockwise in FIGURE 2.

The gauge disc 83 is further provided at its peripheral edge with spaced radial notches '87, graduated in width, in accordance with the decreasing diameters of the drills counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 2, of the drills numbered 61 to 80 in the above series.

The disc 83 is provided with numerical indica in radial alignment with respective notches and apertures, giving the gauge numbers corresponding thereto.

The reverse side of the disc 83, namely, the bottom side thereof, shown in FIGURE 3, is provided with a scale 90 giving the decimal equivalents of the diameters of the drills numbered from 61 to 80 in the aforesaid A.W.G., series.

As will be readily apparent, the gauge disc 8-3 is used for checking drill sizes, as required. For dispensing drills from the container it must necessarily be removed, and this can be readily accomplished in the manner above-described.

While a specific embodiment of an improved dispensing drill holder has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A drill holder comprising a generally cylindrical main body formed with at least two concentric circular series of graduated drill-retaining bores at different radial distances from the axis of said main body and dimensioned to receive a series of drills of different diameters and located to support the drills in positions parallel to the axis of the main body, respective cover discs journaled to the opposite ends of said main body, each cover disc being formed with a dispensing opening located at the same radial distance from the axis of said main body as and registrable with the drill-retaining bores of a respective circular series, the dispensing opening of the cover disc at one end of said main body being at a different radial distance from said axis than the dispensing opening of the cover disc at the other end of said main body, whereby different size of drills may be selectively dispensed from the opposite ends of the drill holder by registering the openings of the discs with the selected drills, and an inwardly-bowed rod-like detent member longitudinally-secured at its intermediate portion in said main body and having resilient free end portions engaging the edges of the cover discs and yieldably holding said cover discs against rotation relative to said main body.

2. A drill holder comprising a generally cylindrical main body formed with at least two concentric circular series of graduated drill-retaining bores at different radial distances from the axis of said main body and dimensioned to receive a series of drills of different diameters and located to support the drills in positions parallel to the axis of the main body, respective cover discs journaled to the opposite ends of said main body, each cover disc being formed with a dispensing opening located at the same radial distance from the axis of said main body as and registrable with the drill-retaining bores of a respective circular series, the dispensing opening of the cover disc at one end of said main body being at a different radial distance from said axis than the dispensing opening of said cover disc at the other end of said main body, whereby different sizes of drills may be selectively dispensed from the opposite ends of the drill holder by registering the openings of the discs with the selected drills, said cover discs being formed at their edges with space serrations, an inwardly bowed rod-like detent member longitudinally-secured at its intermediate portion in said main body and having resilient free end portions engaging the edges of the cover discs and cooperating with said serrations to yieldably lock the discs against rotation relative to said main body.

3. A drill holder comprising a generally cylindrical main body formed with at least two concentric circular series of graduated drill-retaining bores at different radial distances from the axis of said main body and dimensioned to receive a series of drills of different diameters and located to support the drills in positions parallel to the axis of the main body, respective cover discs journaled to the opposite ends of said main body, each cover disc being formed with a dispensing opening located at the same radial distance from the axis of said main body as and registrable with the drill-retaining bores of a respective circular series, the dispensing opening of the cover disc at one end of said main body being at a different radial distance from said axis than the dispensing opening of the cover disc at the other end of said main body, whereby different sizes of drills may be selectively dispensed from the opposite ends of the drill holder by registering the openings of the discs with the selected drills, said main body comprising a plurality of spaced parallel coaxial inner disc members and means rigidly securing said inner disc members together to form a rigid unit, an inwardly bowed rod-like detent member longitudinally-secured at its intermediate portion to said inner disc members and having resilient free end portions engaging the edges of the cover discs and yieldably holding said cover discs against rotation relative to said main body.

4. A drill holder comprising a generally cylindrical main body formed with at least two concentric circular series of graduated drill-retaining bores at different radial distances from the axis of said main body and dimensioned to receive a series of drills of different diameters and located to support the drills in positions parallel to the axis of the main body, respective cover discs journaled to the opposite ends of said main body, each cover dis-c being formed with a dispensing opening located at the same radial distance from the axis of said main body as and registrable with the drill-retaining bores of a respective circular series, the dispensing opening of the cover disc at one end of said main body being at a different radial distance from said axis than the dispensing opening of the cover disc at the other end of said main body, whereby different sizes of drills may be selectively dispensed from the opposite ends of the drill holder by registering the openings of the discs with the selected drills, said main body comprising a plurality of spaced parallel coaxial inner disc members and means rigidly securing said inner disc members together to form a rigid unit, and an inwardly rod-like detent member longitudinally-secured at its intermediate portion to said inner disc members and having resilient free end portions engaging the edges of the cover discs and yieldably holding said cover discs against rotation relative to said main body, the edges of the cover discs being formed with spaced serrations adapted to lockingly receive said free end portions of the detent member.

5. A drill holder comprising a generally cylindrical main body formed with at least two concentric circular series of graduated drill-retaining bores at different radial distances from the axis of said main body and dimensioned to receive a series of drills of different diameters and located to support the drills in positions parallel to the axis of the main body, respective cover discs journaled to the opposite ends of said main body, each cover disc being formed with a dispensing opening located at the same radial distance from the axis of said main body as and registrable with the drill-retaining bores of a respective circular series, the dispensing opening of the cover disc at one end of said main body being at a different radial distance from said axis than the dispensing opening of the cover disc at the other end of said main body, whereby different sizes of drills may be selectively dispensed from opposite ends of the drill holder by registering the openings of the discs with the selected drills, said main body comprising a plurality of spaced parallel coaxial inner disc members and means rigidly securing said inner disc members together to form a rigid unit, the intermediate ones of said inner disc members being formed with longitudinallyaligned apertures, the remaining disc members being formed with radial slots longitudinally-aligned with said apertures, and a rod-like detent member longitudinallydisposed in said apertures and said radial slots and having resilient free end portions engaging the edges of the cover discs and yieldably holding said cover discs against rotation relative to said main body.

6. The drill holder recited in claim 5, and wherein the edges of the cover discs are formed with spaced serrations adapted to lockingly receive said free end portions of the detent member.

7. A drill holder comprising a generally cylindrical main body formed with at least two concentric circular series of graduated drill-retaining bores at different radial distances from the axis of said main body and dimensioned to receive a series of drills of different diameters and located to support the drills in positions parallel to the axis of the main body, respective cover discs journaled to the opposite ends of said main body, each cover disc being formed with a dispensing opening located at the same radial distance from the axis of said main body as and registrable with the drill-retaining bores of a respective circular series, the dispensing opening of the cover disc at one end of said main body being at a different radial distance from said axis than the dispensing opening of the cover disc at the other end of said main body, whereby different sizes of drills may be selectively dispensed from the opposite ends of the drill holder by registering the openings of the discs with the selected drills, a rod-like detent member mounted in said body and having resilient free end portions engaging the edges of the cover discs, a projection on said main body located substantially centrally of one of the cover discs, and a drill gauge disc detachably engaged between said projection and the adjacent free end portion of said detent member and releasably secured adjacent said last-named cover disc.

8. A drill holder comprising a generally cylindrical main body formed with at least two concentric circular series of graduated drill-retaining bores at different radial distances from the axis of said main body and dimensioned to receive a series of drills of different diameters and located to support the drills in positions parallel to the axis of the main body, respective cover discs journaled to the opposite ends of said main body, each cover disc being formed with a dispensing opening located at the same radial distance from the axis of said main body as and registrable with the drill-retaining bores of a respective circular series, the dispensing opening of the cover disc at one end of said main body being at a different radial distance from said axis than the dispensing opening of the cover disc at the other end of said main body, whereby different sizes of drills may be selectively dispensed from the opposite ends of the drill holder by registering the openings of the discs with the selected drills, a rod-like detent member mounted in said body and having resilient free end portions engaging the edges of the cover discs, a flanged projection on said main body located substantially centrally of one of the cover discs, and a drill gauge disc having an aperture adapted to receive said projection and to be positioned parallel and adjacent to said lastnamed cover disc, said gauge disc being sufficiently large to be engaged by the adjacent free end portion of said detent member and to be urged laterally thereby so that the margin of said central aperture is lockingly engaged beneath the flange of said projection.

9. The structure recited in claim 8, and wherein said gauge disc has a circularly-arranged series of gauge apert-ures corresponding in size to drill sizes and wherein said gauge disc has radial slots at its periphery of widths corresponding to additional drill sizes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,044,683 11/1912 Melchert 312-971 2,911,107 11/1959 Francavillo 211-78 2,952,498 9/1960 Powers et al 312234.1 3,063,551 1.1/1962 Russell 20717 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

JOHN PETO, Examiner. 

1. A DRILL HOLDER COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL MAIN BODY FORMED WITH AT LEAST TWO CONCENTRIC CIRCULAR SERIES OF GRADUATED DRILL-RETAINING BORES AT DIFFERENT RADIAL DISTANCES FROM THE AXIS OF SAID MAIN BODY AND DIMENSIONED TO RECEIVE A SERIES OF DRILLS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS AND LOCATED TO SUPPORT THE DRILLS IN POSITIONS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE MAIN BODY, RESPECTIVE COVER DISCS JOURNALED TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID MAIN BODY, EACH COVER DISC BEING FORMED WITH A DISPENSING OPENING LOCATED AT THE SAME RADIAL DISTANCE FROM THE AXIS OF SAID MAIN BODY AS AND REGISTRABLE WITH THE DRILL-RETAINING BORES OF A RESPECTIVE CIRCULAR SERIES, THE DISPENSING OPENING OF THE COVER DISC AT ONE END OF SAID MAIN BODY BEING AT A DIFFERENT RADIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID AXIS THAN THE DISPENSING OPENING OF THE COVER DISC AT THE OTHER END OF SAID MAIN BODY, WHEREBY DIFFERENT SIZE OF DRILLS MAY BE SELECTIVELY DISPENSED FROM THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE DRILL HOLDER BY REGISTERING THE OPENINGS OF THE DISCS WITH THE SELECTED DRILLS, AND AN INWARDLY-BOWED ROD-LIKE DETENT MEMBER LONGITUDINALLY-SECURED AT ITS INTERMEDIATE PORTION IN SAID MAIN BODY AND HAVING RESILIENT FREE END PORTIONS ENGAGING THE EDGES OF THE COVER DISCS AND YIELDABLY HOLDING SAID COVER DISCS AGAINST ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID MAIN BODY. 